Seven keys to understanding Sunday's legislative elections in Greece
The economic and migratory situation are at the centre of the concerns of the almost ten million Greeks who will vote this Sunday for the second time in a month in parliamentary elections.
The 21 May elections ended with a clear victory for Kyriakos Mitsotakis' New Democracy (ND) government with nearly 41% of the vote, doubling the 20% won by the left-wing Syriza party, to which Alexis Tsipras belongs, but it was not enough for a parliamentary majority with which to govern.
Mitsotakis described his victory as a political "earthquake", and rightly so considering that no ruling party has increased its support at the ballot box in more than 40 years.
Here are seven keys to understanding the new elections.
ELECTORAL PREMIUM:
Although the results of the vote are expected to be very similar to those of May, their translation into seats will be different. In these elections, a prize of up to 50 seats will again be introduced for the party that comes first in the vote, which will allow New Democracy's conservatives to gain an absolute majority if they repeat the result.
Mitsotakis would only need a percentage of around 39% to win an absolute majority in the 300-seat Hellenic hemicycle.
THE POLLS:
The main parties will obtain percentages similar to those of May and ND would get 41% of the vote, more than enough to win an absolute majority. Syriza would repeat with 20 % while the Pasok-Kinal socialists would reach 12 %.
PROMISES:
Mitsotakis presents himself as the only option for a stable government and promises to keep Greece on the path of economic growth. Alexis Tsipras, meanwhile, advocates an economy with more social justice and has criticised the weakening of the rule of law.
THE ECONOMY:
Economic management was a crucial factor in the May elections and ND's victory. In a country still traumatised by the cuts of the past decade and where gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 25 % due to austerity measures, the strong support for Mitsotakis is explained by the fact that Greeks have given him credit for stabilising the economy, with investment returning, growth above the EU average, although current GDP is still below the level of 2010, when the debt crisis began.
There are also concerns about inflation, but Greeks bet on continuity with Mitsotakis rather than change.
RULE OF LAW:
Although there were scandals during Mitsotakis' government that could have threatened his popularity, such as a case of wiretapping an opposition politician and journalists, the electorate backed the party it sees as ensuring economic recovery.
Despite the fact that more than a few citizens perceive democratic backsliding under the centre-right government, Greeks voted with their pockets. Greece, for example, ranks last in the EU in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.
MIGRATION:
Mitsotakis defines his migration policy as "tough but fair" and promised to protect borders and reduce the influx of asylum seekers. However, Mitsotakis was heavily criticised for "hot returns" and turning back migrant boats at sea, which Athens has denied.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), human rights groups and aid organisations have condemned these expulsions as flagrant violations of international law. However, such criticism will not stop conservative voters from supporting Mitsotakis, as he delivered on his promise to drastically reduce asylum applications.
Open refugee camps near the borders, such as those on Lesbos, have been replaced by EU-funded 'controlled and closed' access centres. The latest shipwreck off the coast of Greece, with probably hundreds of deaths, is also unlikely to take its toll on Mitsotakis at the polls.
CHANGES IN THE OPPOSITION:
After the defeat in May, Syriza's aim is no longer to unseat Mitsotakis, but to halt its own decline and prevent the Pasok socialists from becoming the main progressive formation. The Greek left, led by Syriza, suffered a major setback with the May results. Voters showed a loss of confidence in Tsipras.